Late decision to name Bugbee starter pays off
Nazareth star wasn’t named QB until 3 nights before opening game of season
Three nights before Nazareth was set to begin its 2020 Eastern Pennsylvania Conference football season, Matt Bugbee wasn’t worried about all-league, all-state or player of the year honors.
Bugbee was merely concerned with being the starter at quarterback for the Blue Eagles in their Sept. 25 opener against Central Catholic.
Regarded as one of the area’s top placekickers with 65 points, including six field goals as a sophomore in 2018, and 100 points and eight field goals in 2019 as a junior, Bugbee was going to play a significant role for a Nazareth team coming off a 12-2 record and EPC South and District 11 6A championships. But would he be the quarterback? Bubgbee wasn’t sure. Neither was TomFalzone and the Nazareth coaching staff. The lack of offseason camps and preseason workouts due to the coronavirus pandemic didn’t allow for competition to play out as it normally would.
So as Nazareth wrapped up practice on Sept. 22, Bugbee wasn’t sure if it would be him, Sammy Sasso or Mike McCarty who would take the season’s first snaps.
It turned out to be Bugbee and after he ran for 50 yards, passed for 111 and scored touchdowns in the air and on the ground in a 33-20 win over a CCHSteam that would go on to win the District 11 4A title, the job was his for keeps.
Bugbee completed 109 of 169 passes for 1,482 yards and 10 touchdowns. He added 55 carries for 229 yards and 10
more scores in addition to four field goals and 32 extra points.
In a year in which Nazareth became the surprise team of the year and repeated as District 11 6A champs with the area’s only unbeaten record, Bugbee was the biggest individual surprise.
Bugbee maintained the high level quarterback play left by Anthony Harris, the University of Maine recruit, whothrew for 2,617 years and 26 touchdowns as a senior. He finished his career with a Nazarethrecord 7,942 yards passing, the fourthhighest total in District 11 history, and 81 TD passes.
“Matt did an amazing job taking over the reins at the quarterback position this season,” said Tom Falzone. “It wasn’t like most years where you knew who your starter was going to be throughout the offseason. Matt had to split reps and compete right up until the first game. When we made the decision to go with Matt, he took advantage of the opportunity and ran with it.”
Bugbee benefited from being Harris’ backup in 2019.
“It’s hard to follow an athlete like Anthony Harris but Matt waited patiently and learned a lot from watching Ant,” Falzone said. “What made Matt so effective was his intelligence and tremendous decision-making on the field. We were always on the same page and when mistakes were made, which didn’t happen often, he knew it right away and could tell you as he walked off the field.”
Falzone said Bugbee worked well with Blue Eagles quarterbacks coach Rob Petrosky on his skills and command of the offense.
Bugbee relished the opportunity to show what he and a Nazareth team many thought to be rebuilding could do.
“It’s a special feeling to be a district champion,” Bugbee said after the Blue Eagles held off Freedom 37-29 for the district gold on Nov. 20. “We felt it last year, and we were hungry to feel it again this year.”
Bugbee and the Blue Eagles went through a COVID-19 roller coaster. Two weeks before the championship game, Nazareth spent a 24-hour period believing its season was over before athletic director Ray Ramella and other administration officials went through a contact-tracing process that got the Blue Eagles back on the field.
“It was crazy for sure sitting in the middle of our field with Coach Falzone talking about when he was collecting uniforms and stuff like that; a lot of emotions,” Bugbee said. “Two weeks later, we’re district champs. Unbelievable.”
After the team was able to get back in the district tournament, it made sure it took nothing for granted and finished off a season that will not be forgotten any time soon.
Bugbee said he hopes to continue his career at the collegiate level as both a quarterback and kicker.
“The COVID-19 situation has made the recruiting process a little crazy but I definitely want to keep playing this game and representing Nazareth, the school, team and community, the best way I can,” he said.